Alcohol abuse effects can be far-reaching and devastating. The effects of alcohol abuse not only have consequences for the drinker but those around her or him as well. Alcohol abuse effects can be both psychological and physical. Alcohol consumption causes changes in behavior. The physical effects of alcohol abuse can be experienced with as little as one or two drinks. Impaired judgment and coordination needed to operate a car safely may result in the drinker having an accident. Alcoholism is an illness where alcoholic beverage consumption is at a level that interferes with physical or mental health, and negatively impacts social, family or occupational responsibilities. Alcohol abusers are drinkers that may drink excessively at various times with resulting immediate alcohol abuse effects at the time of excess alcohol consumption. The immediate physical effects of alcohol abuse can be experienced as soon as ten minutes after drinking begins. With continued alcohol consumption on that occasion, the immediate effects of alcohol abuse worsen and become more serious. Here are five of the immediate physical alcohol abuse effects: 1. Inhibitions Become Reduced – at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05, changes in a person’s behavior begins to be noticable. Alcohol abuse effects and reduced inhibitions can put a person at higher risk for actions they would otherwise not participate in, such as sexual activity, continued drinking or illegal drug use. 2. Loss of Muscle Control – at the level of 0.10, slurred speech will likely be evident. Impaired judgement and poor coordination are physical effects of alcohol abuse that can lead to falls and accidents. 3. Memory Loss and/or Blackouts – since alcohol depresses the brain’s control mechanisms, as blood alcohol levels increase, periods of time and certain situations and events may not be remembered afterward. 4. Stupor – at a blood alcohol concentration of 0.40, a person can hardly function, acting seriously dazed and confused. 5. Coma – at a blood alcohol level of 0.50, a person is at risk for coma, which can be life-threatening. And at this level or higher, respiratory paralysis and death become very much a possibility. Other alcohol abuse effects that are short-term include nausea, hangovers, headaches and fatigue. The longer a person abuses alcohol over time, the higher the chances of other alcohol abuse effects being experienced and alcohol dependency developing. The most severe form of alcoholism is ‘alcohol dependency’. Physical alcohol dependence is characterized by withdrawal symptoms when alcohol consumption is interrupted, by tolerance to the effects of alcohol abuse and by the presence of alcohol-related illnesses. Malnutrition can develop from a reduced appetite plus inadequate absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract and from consuming ‘empty’ calories in alcohol. Calories from alcohol are called ‘empty’ calories since alcohol contains no beneficial nutrients, vitamins or minerals. And with continued alcohol consumption and abuse over years, many of the body organs will be affected. Alcohol is especially harmful to the liver since the liver does most of the work of breaking down alcohol. Alcohol destroys liver cells, and it destroys the ability of liver cells to regenerate. This condition leads to progressive imflammatory injury to the liver and eventually can result in cirrhosis of the liver. Additional long term alcohol abuse effects include damage to the brain, high blood pressure, heart muscle damage, nerve damage, pancreatitis, bleeding in the esophagus, erectile dysfunction in men, fetal alcohol syndrome in the offspring of alcoholic women, insomnia, depression and increased cancer risks. If you or someone you know may have problems with alcohol and you’d like to learn more about alcoholism and perhaps seek help, there are proven resources available. It is never too late to begin recovery from alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse effects.   InfoSearch Publishing

Originally, the word Tumor, means «swelling». Often times it is still used with this mean, but more so a Tumor meaning swelling is among the five major classic characteristics of imflammation. In modern science the term Tumor is primarily saved to denote the abnormal growth of tissue. There are two major types of tumors: Malignant and Benign Malignant Tumors are called also known as cancer. Cancer in this form has the readily available potential to invade and destory bordering tissues. Benign Tumors on the other hand do not invade the bordering tissues, or create metastases, rather they may localy grow to a great size. Under normal circumstances Benign Tumors will not return once they have been removed surgically. The older a person gets the more mutations they have accumulated amongst their DNA, which makes them more prone to tumors. With that in mind, age is a factor, and with increasing age, the likelyhood of developing a tumor increases. Also known is that the older an individual who is affected with a tumor is, the higher the odds that the tumor will be malignant. Tumors are causes by mutations that can occur in DNA of our bodies cells. A single mutation is not sufficient for a tumor to develop but rather an accumulation of multiple. The most common type of tumor that we hear about on a day to day basis is a «Brain Tumor»

What’s one of the best ways to prevent osteoporosis? According to many experts in the field of bone health, it’s exercise. More specifically, strength training offers many benefits for men and women at risk of bone loss from osteoporosis. Strength training, also called resistance training, uses resistance from free weights, resistance bands, and water exercise or weight machines to help build strength in muscles. It also can help work on the bones to prevent the loss of minerals that weaken them. In fact, according to sports doctors, strength training can increase your bone strength, reduce your risk of osteoporosis, improve the strength of your connective tissues, which increases joint stability and increase the functional strength of your muscles. If you already have osteoporosis, say doctors, strength training can still benefit you in many ways, but you should work with your doctor or an experienced physical therapist to design a workout that will benefit your bones without increasing the risk of stress or compression fractures. If your main intent is to prevent osteoporosis, you should work with heavier weights and more resistance. A study conducted at the University of Arizona and published in Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise gives some answers to that. In that study, scientists recruited 140 post menopausal women with a history of sedentary lifestyle for a year-long regimen of three time’s weekly workouts. The women performed eight exercises specifically chosen to work on particular muscle groups .Scientists took bone scans both before and after the study. The results showed that the chosen exercises had a measurable effect on the bones of the hips, site of the most common fractures in post menopausal women. They also found that the greater the amount of total weight lifted over the course of the year, the greater the benefits to the bones. If you’re just starting a resistance and strength training program, doctors and physical therapists offer the following tips: Consult your doctor and follow a program designed by a physical therapist which takes your strengths and needs into account. Work out at a gym or health club under the supervision of professionals who can help monitor and adjust your workout program. Start slow and build gradually. Strength and resistance training is a slow process. Never increase weights in resistance training more than 10% at a time. Increasing more than that risks injury. Lift and lower weights slowly. Avoid ‘jerking’ them up to avoid injury. Perform your resistance workout every third day. Avoid exercise that puts a lot of strain on your joints and bones, and stay away from the rowing machine. The bending required puts your spine at risk of compression fractures. If any area is particularly tender or stiff immediately after a workout, apply ice to it for 10-15 minutes to reduce inflammation. Proper exercise, weight control and a healthy diet all contribute to keeping your bones strong and preventing the loss of bone density due to osteoporosis. Do your bones a favor and give them a good workout a couple of times a week.

Chickenpox is one of the ‘classic’ childhood diseases. Most children will catch it sooner or later. Chickenpox is an airborne disease and is very contagious. The symptoms are: – general mild flu like symptoms (headache, fever, tummy ache, and loss of appetite); – followed a day or two later by hundreds of itchy, fluid filled blisters. Once you have had chickenpox the virus is with you for life but kept in check by your immune system. However, the virus can flare up later in life in the form of shingles, especially if you undergo a period of stress. Most cases occur in children younger than 10 and the disease is usually mild. Older children and adults often develop a more severe case of chickenpox. Chickenpox can cause serious complications: – a secondary infection of the blisters may occur if these are scratched and this can cause scarring. – newborns are at risk of severe infection if the mother is not immune (i.e. she has not previously had the disease). – other, rare, complications include encephalitis; Reye’s syndrome; and cerebellar ataxia. Treatment: As it is a virus, chickenpox can not be treated by antibiotics. In most cases a chickenpox infection can be left to run its course, however, it is advisable to treat the blisters to reduce the likelihood of them being scratched. To this end, it is advisable to trim the nails of young children and place scratch-mitts on babies to minimise scratching and reduce the chance of scarring. Calamine lotion will help to ease the itching as will baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). When our toddlers caught chickenpox a friend suggested adding a little water to baking powder to make a paste and applying that to the blisters. As our son passed his chickenpox on to me I can verify that the baking soda does work! It was more effective than calamine lotion at reducing the itching. Antiviral medicines have been developed and can help the fight against chickenpox if the medicine is started within the first 24 hours of the rash developing. For most healthy children antiviral medicine is not required, but teenagers and adults who are likely to experience a more severe dose, may benefit. Others who could benefit from antiviral medicine are kids with eczema, lung conditions such as asthma, and those who have been prescribed steroids.